£45,000 Damages for Missed Infection After Breast Reconstruction

A woman has obtained compensation after a delay in diagnosing an infection following a mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery.

The woman had undergone an oophorectomy and then a mastectomy after she was identified as being at risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Following breast reconstruction surgery, she suffered extreme pain and developed a blister on her right breast. She was advised by a doctor to take painkillers.

Her condition deteriorated over the next two days and she was admitted to A&E, where she was diagnosed with a breast infection. Her breast implant could not be saved and a significant amount of skin had to be removed from her chest due to the infection. She subsequently underwent a number of surgeries to replace her breast implant. She continues to experience pain regularly.

She brought a claim against the NHS trust responsible for her care, which denied liability. Medical evidence was obtained which indicated that if the infection had been diagnosed promptly, her breast implant could have been saved and the subsequent surgeries avoided.

Following negotiations, the NHS trust agreed to settle her claim for £45,000.